Packeting machine for cigarettes and the like



April 9, 1940.

G. D. HORGAN MACHINE FOR CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE fACKETINCr Filed J\ily29, 1.937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR Y G'eozye Q 170] an & f

TTORNEY April 9, 1940. e. D. HORGAN EACKETING MACHINE FOR CIGARETTES ANDTHE LIKE Filed July 29, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR G'cozyeflamiflrymATTORNEY April 9, 1940. G. D. HORGAN 2,196,769

PACKETING MACHINE FOR CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE Filed July 29, 1937 I sSheets-Sheet s 76 FL? I5 24 1 j m I odesbooioo oooo ooloodbo' INVENTORfi'oigefiamei or an BY ATTORNEY.

I Patented Apr. 8,, 1940 UNITED ST TES.

Application July 29, 1937, SeriahNo. 156,347

In Great Britain August 1, 1936 C ms- '(Cl.- 22 5 This invention relatesto packeting machines:

for cigarettes or-like articles and has particular reference todetecting when a bundle is deficient in number whereby means may be setfor subsequently ejecting the faulty packet.

Hitherto in such devices the cigarettes in the bundle in passing belowdetector fingers lift the fingers and thus the ends of the cigarettesare subject to pressure'and are liable to become damaged, and an objectof the present invention is to provide an improved method of and meansfor detecting whereby such damage is obviated.

' A further object is to provide an iniprovedform of detector wherebythe detection is eiiective'ir- I respective of the displacement of thecigarettes inthe bundle due to the absence of one or more cigarettestherefrom.

According to the present invention displaceable detector fingers orelements are provided beneath fingers are lowered to engage. thecigarettes and.

cigarette bundles whereby the fingers are raised j until a bundle ofcigarettes-is located below the fingers.

According to another feature of the invention the detector fingers arearranged in pairs, one pair for each cigarette in the row, the ends ofeach pair being curved or shaped to agree substantially with the curveof the cigarette.

In the accompanying drawings, 7

Figure l is an elevation of a detector device according to theinvention;

Fig. 1a is a fragmentary detail view in side ele vation, showing theconnection for operating the shaft 29 andrcd 22 to regulate the actionof the electrical control circuit;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the detector device;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation on the line 3--3 of Figure 1; g

Figure 4 is an end elevation of a fixed contact plate.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient modeas applied to a machine for packeting cigarettes in bundles of twenty inslide and shell packets, the cigarettes in each bar in an electricalcircuit;

The detector fingers H) are each'provided; with bundle being disposed ina plurality of rows, the

1 oF cE detector device is mounted-over a guide or run- Way for thebundles of cigarettes and at a positionwhere the cigarettes in thebundle are contiguous to one another. l l

y -.The detector comprises a plurality of fingers l0.

ing a horizontally extending arm lfla adapted to engage the upper row ofcigarettes, and a vertical arm I81) which carries a contact pin 42adapted in the absence 0t a cigarette to engage aifixed contactpin 53carriedby a suitable bar l4. The bar M is providedwith twenty contactpins l3 and is insulated from its mounting l8- and is provided with aterminal screw i5 for coupling the a spring I6, adapted to move thefingers to a positio'nin which the contact pins l2 engage those on thebar It. i v

, The transverse rod H on which the fingers H] pivot is carried by theframe or mounting H! which is insulated from the machine and which isalso provided with a terminal screw is for con-' nection in the circuitso that the fingers form switches for closing the circuit.

Instead of insulating the mounting I8 from the machine it may be locatedin one path of f the electrical circuit.

Located in the upper part of the framework or finger mounting I 8 is atransversely arranged rock shaft 20 which carries a pair of downwardlydepending arms 2! which in-tltrn carry an adjusting rod 22 located infront of the upwardly projecting arms "3b of the detector fingers l0,the arrangement being such that, on pivoting the rock shaft 29 theadjusting rod 22 will pivot the fingers I0 against the action of thesprings l5 and raise the horizontally extendingarms Hla of said fingers.I a

The oscillations of the rock trolled by a rotary cam 23 through the link24 pivoted'to an arm 33 (see Fig. 1a) on the'rock shaft in such a mannerthat the arms lflaof the fingers I!) are lifted as a bundle ofcigarettes shaft 20 are concigarettes will prevent any of the fingercontacts I2 engaging the fixed contacts l3 so that the detector circuitwill remain open. On the other hand, if the bundle is deficient innumber, the appropriate finger or fingers Ill will pivot to a positionsuch that contact is made and the circuit completed whereby anappropriate device is set for subsequent operation toeject the faultypacket.

in pairs, one pair for each cigarette. This is for the purpose ofavoiding non-detection in the event of the upper row of cigarettes (ofwhich one or more is missing) rolling to positions resting upon twocigarettes in the lower row in which position it may be possible toprevent a full downward movement of the appropriate finger. By providingtwo fingers for each cigarette it is ensured that at least one fingerwill move to a circuit closing position.

The cigarette engaging edges I90 of the fingers may be curvedcomplementary to the curvature of the cigarettes.

Immediately preceding the detector device a pivotally mounted flap 26may be provided adapted to be engaged by the oncoming cigarettes to movethem into endwise coincidence or alignment before they reach thedetector. The pivoting flap 26 may be carried by a mounting 21 boltedtothe detector framing l8.

It will be appreciated that according to the invention the detectorfingers are positively controlled in contradistinction to the type ofdetecting means in which the oncoming cigarettes engage the fingers bytheir ends and lift them out of the way. Instead of a cam control, anelectrical or pneumatic control may be provided.

The contacts l2 and I3 are arranged in a circuit 28 containing asolenoid 29 whereby upon the detection of a faulty bundle the solenoidis energized to set a pin or element 30 on a rotary member 3!synchronized with the motion of the bundle conveyor 32, so that the pinsubsequently, when in position 39, causes the operation of known orotherwise suitable means (not shown) for ejecting the faulty packet.

Any other suitable means intermediate the detector and the faulty packetejecting means may be provided.

I claim:

1. A machine for packing cigarettes or like shaped articles supplied inbunches each containing a plurality of rows of said articles, whereinsaid spaced bunches travel along a predetermined path and provision ismade of detector fingers mounted above the path of the articles, andcontrolling means operative to raise the fingers until a bunch is in thedetecting position, whereupon the fingers are lowered to engage thesides of the articles and are again raised before the articles leave thedetecting position, said detector fingers being arranged in pairs, onepair for each article in a row.

2. A machine for packing cigarettes or like shaped articles supplied inbunches each containing a plurality of rows of said articles,

wherein said spaced bunches travel along a predetermined path andprovision is made of detector fingers mounted above the path of thearticles, and controlling means operative to raise the fingers until abunch is in the detecting pcsition, whereupon the fingers are lowered toen- Preferably the detector fingers I are arranged gage the sides of thearticles and are again raised before the articles leave the detectingposition, said detector .fingers being arranged in pairs, one pair foreach article in a row, the article engaging edges of the fingers beingshaped to correspondwith the curvature of an article.

3. A machine for packing cigarettes or like shaped articles supported inbunches, each containing a plurality of rows of said articles, whereinsaid spaced bunches travel along a predetermined path and provision ismade of detector fingers mounted above the path of the articles, andcontrolling means operative to raise the fingersuntil a bunch is in thedetecting position, whereupon the fingers are lowered to engage thesides of the articles, and are again raised before. the articles leavethe detecting position, said controlling means comprising a bar engagingthe fingers and extending lengthwise of the series thereof, and meansfor oscillating the bar to pivot the fingers out of the article engagingposition against the action of returning springs.

4. A machine for packing cigarettes or like shaped articles supported inbunches, each containing a plurality of rows of said articles, whereinsaid spaced bunches travel along a predetermined path and provision ismade of detector fingers mounted above the path of the articles, andcontrolling means operative to raise the fingers until a bunch is in thedetecting position, whereupon the fingers are lowered to engage thesides of the articles, and are again raised before the articles leavethe detecting position, said controlling means comprising an oscillatingbar engaging the fingers and extending lengthwise of the series thereof,means comprising a rotary cam for oscillating the bar, said cam beingsynchronised with the travel of the bundles of articles.

5. A machine for packing cigarettes or like shaped articles supplied inbunches each containing a plurality of rows of said articles, where insaid spaced bunches travel along a predetermined path and provision ismade of detector fingers mounted above the path of the articles, meansto control said detector fingers positively, and in which a pivotallymounted flap is provided in front of the detecting position and isoperative to align the ends of the articles before a bundle reaches thedetecting position.

GEORGE DANIEL HORGAN.

